Crossing the border with Blue Jays beat reporter Jordan Bastian.

Is it a sign?

ANAHEIM — It’s been well documented that Jays starter A.J. Burnett has adopted “Hangin’ Tough” by the New Kids on the Block as his new pregame warm-up music. He even went as far as saying it was because Toronto has, in fact, been “Hangin’ Tough” lately.

Well, I was riding the elevator down from the pressbox to the clubhouse this morning, and — on the very day that Mr. Burnett is taking the hill for the Jays — I heard that familiar “Oh oh OH OH oh!” of the other famous New Kids tune, “The Right Stuff.”

If Burnett throws a no-no, we’ll know why.

Some actual news: Jays skip John Gibbons said CF Vernon Wells has already started swinging a bat down in Florida, where he’s rehabbing his broken left wrist. That seems to be ahead of schedule and Gibbons said Wells (injured on May 9) is hoping to return on the early side of the 6-8 week timetable he was told his comeback would require.

The Jays get to go against the ALMIGHTY Joba Chamberlain, lol. Being saracastic when I say almighty. I doubt he ever has to go into his pockets in the N.Y.C. area. He is bigger than life there. Yankee fans see him as there savior.

One thing I know he is the best setup man in baseball. One thing I don’t know is how good he’ll do in the rotation. Also another thing I don’t know, who is going to pitch before Rivera? So many games are lost in the 7th and 8th innings. If the Yankees had the lead and Chamberlain was pitching in the 7th or 8th, the game was over. Chamberlain could easily have an outing where he goes 7 innings and the Yankees lose. Tomm. night, he might go thru 5 innings. The legend of Joba continues tomm. night.

Also I think Halladay takes this game personal tomm. night. All the attention will be on Chamberlain and Halladay is one of the best pitchers in the game. Halladay will rise to the occasion as he always does and handcuff the Yankees and ruin Joba’s night.

Harry ,
Its probably my fault , they haven’t been around since I told them to quit calling each other names, though I never put them in timeout ……lol….

Brian,
I agree Doc is one of the best in the game . It will be interesting to see how Joba does once he is through the batting order a couple times. He has the confidence and the talent but like a lot of teams , the Yanks bats have been erractic

Brian,
I agree with you completely about Halladay and if he were with some other ( unmentionable ) teams he would have won the CY a few more times. He would definitely get the respect he is due but I am glad he is with the Jays . For me , he is the face of this team .

I totally agree on what you said about other teams. Unmentionable as you say, lol.

I’m sure some of the old timers love watching Halladay pitch. Guys like Robin Roberts, Tom Seaver, Bob Gibson among others. Halladay was a guy that should have pitched back in the day.

When he takes the hill, he is looking to get 27 outs and if he has too he’ll get more. I think that is the reason for him going so deep into games. It is a mentality. Some guys take the hill and say if I can only go 7 innings. I don’t know who those pitchers are but they are out there, no doubt.

I am looking forward to watching the Jays and Yanks tonight. I would really love too see “The Legend” Joba get roughed up. I’m sure the Jays hitters are pretty fired up as well. I think I read where his pitch count is 75. He’ll go no more than 5 innings.

I know for afact that the jays mentality would be to either get him in the first couple of pitches and if not then work the count, this way you get to hit the fastball or then drive his pitch count up…

if incase we get him out in the 4th then the yanks need 5 innings of relieft which is alot, and then next day there will be that much pressure on mussina to go deep…..

and like you guys said, halladay is def. the face of the team, HE IS THE DOMINANT PITCHER OUT THERE …and even bush thinks of him as the best….

I think that the Jays would be wise to work the count as much as possible in the first few innings. Halladay is good enough to shut down the Yanks for a bit so i’d look for the Jays to try and get Joba into the 70’s by the 4/5th inning as some of you have suggested. Plus, without Joba the Yankees bullpen isn’t exactly a force so i’d take my chances against them if it’s a close game. I can’t wait for tonight’s game and like Bosox I hope Joba gets rocked.

Joba surely has some great stuff, it will be interesting to see who he can be compared to as a starter. From what I have seen in his role as a reliever, i can see him transitioning and having a comparable arm to McGowan. They are both overpowering pitchers, but it will also rely on how he handles facing batters more than once per game. It is a completely different thing when a batter you have already faced comes back up to the plate. Looking forward to tonight and I really hope the Jays get after him in the first couple innings. And it only seems reasonable for Halladay to come out of tonight’s game with the spotlight back on him.

Meta

The following are trademarks or service marks of Major League Baseball entities and may be used only with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. or the relevant Major League Baseball entity: Major League, Major League Baseball, MLB, the silhouetted batter logo, World Series, National League, American League, Division Series, League Championship Series, All-Star Game, and the names, nicknames, logos, uniform designs, color combinations, and slogans designating the Major League Baseball clubs and entities, and their respective mascots, events and exhibitions.